Weed Killing!

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We played this game last week. Are you ready? What do you think this is?

Are you sure?

You know I don’t play fair, so I’ll just tell you…

It’s an herbicide drift eliminator! Ever try to kill something lame and accidentally injure your awesome stuff? If you’ve ever had a dog that wasn’t supposed to scratch his face, you have the perfect solution to your problem!

Oh, and here’s the recipe for my weed killer…

Ivory’s Non-Selective Herbicide

2c vinegar
1 T liquid soap
1 T salt
Dog cone

Mix first three ingredients in spray bottle. Will kill anything it touches. Place doggie cone over weeds. Spray, don’t pour or nothing will grow there for a while.

I will certainly try this recipe in my garden but usually, I just pull them out and leave them to dry on the soil; weeds turn into garden fertility compost. For the perennial weeds, I use a used can: I get all I can of the weed that I want to get rid of inside the can and then, I top the whole center of the plant with the can by pressing it into the soil with my foot. It can stay there for 1 year! When the place is infested, I hide the cans with a bit of soil so the border looks nice despite the cans everywhere.

I bet an old lamp shade would work for those who don’t have a doggie cone. I’ve been saving one – trying to figure out what I can do with it. For a large weed – place the large end down. For a small weed or in a tight space – place the small end down. I can’t wait to try it.

I can’t wait to try this! My back yard is a knee high weed garden right now and I don’t have money to pay someone to spray nor purchase the expensive herbicides! I have one question though… does it matter if the vinegar is cider or white?

Great Ideas. Thanks for Sharing. I have a question.. I have an area that has nutgrass( not a lot, because it has been covered by leaves from fall ). This area is around a Crepe Myrtle tree< and I believe the nutgrass is deep rooted. How long would I have to safely wait before replanting some begonias under my crepe myrtle trees, if i used this treatment?

Great ideas. Thanks for sharing. I can’t wait to try this herbicide treatment. How long would I have to wait after using this treatment, before I could safely plant some begonias under my Crepe Myrtle trees?

I hope this works like you say! I made some and went outside and used it on the “patio” which is just concrete blocks. I want all the weeds (and grass) inbetween the cracks to be gone. I’d replace the patio since it’s horrible, but we’re just renting, so this is the best thing. Usually I’m out there trying to dig the weeds out and it’s annoying.

Hi I want to try this but I’m concerned a little what happens when
it rains? will it kill the good plants or is it because there is so little
of it when it gets into the soil it doesn’t hurt anything, I see
you sprayed it around strawberry plants and that is one thing I’m
looking to control weeds around too. Please let me now soon. Thank
We are going natural because we hate chemicals and now we are getting bee’s so i really have to take care more.

I’ve tried this weed killer and it really works. Instead of a dog cone, I took a old coffee can and cut off the bottom. Then I cut a hole just big enough for the spray tip. No way can any of the spray hit any other plant.

This is amazing! Works just as quickly as the hugely expense brands and I don’t worry about getting it on my hands.
Thank you for posting this, I’ve been looking for something that works for a long time. 🙂

Kaatje, the “Ivory” refers to the blog writer’s name, not specifically the brand name of soap you should use. Since she didn’t specify, I suppose you could use whatever soap you have on hand. I hope that helps!

Love this suggestion! I’m a gardening newbie – just bought a house and this is the first time I’m dealing with things like a yard/weeds/etc. I made your mixture and sprayed it on some weeds and grass that’s coming up between the brick pavers that make up our patio. Can you tell me what happens next? Like I said, I’m a newbie, so I don’t know how long this stuff will take… what do I need to do after I spray… do I have to pull out the weeds after I spray… stuff like that. Thanks so much!

Yes I am also wondering what happens after you spray all the weeds? I just made the mixture and sprayed the crap out of lots and lots of weeds around here….now wondering what happens next and about how long will it take for them to die? After you spray do you still have to pull up the weeds or do they just go away? Now much explaination on here on the process…would greatly appreciate it. Thanks for this awesome project!

I used to do this same thing (but used Roundup for the HORRIBLY invasive vegetation in Louisiana when we lived there) but I used a gallon jug.

Directions to make one out of the milk jug:
1. Cut the complete bottom off the milk jug with a kitchen shears.
2. Cut the part off where the spout is (leaving the handle) and opening it up enough to make a hole about 2-3″ across.
3. Use it the same way this one is!!

Generic glyphosate is probably as cheap or cheaper than this solution. Monsanto lost their patent on glyphosate so there are many generics available and no reason to buy brand name roundup. Rural King sells 2.5 gallon 49% generic glyphosate product for $34 which will make hundreds of gallons of product…and their product already contains a surfactant. Glyphosate is incredibly effective and is an “over the top” product that quickly breaks downs once it is in the soil so it is environmentally friendly. The solution presented here would be my distant second choice.

You can also try spreading corn gluten on your beds in the spring to prevent weeds before they start! Also spread some under your bird feeder to keep of the dropped seeds from sprouting. Sold in large and small garden centers.

I have used vinegar mixed with methylated spirits and water as a cleaning agent for the last 20 years to clean my tiled floors which acts as a disinfectant/cleaner all in one but never thought to use it on weeds. Have just sprayed all my pavers using your recipe and now waiting for them to die.

This is a good recipe for an area that you want devoid of weeds *for a while*. Like for between pavers or under trees. The salt actually does poison the soil for a time, until the rain washes it away. Remember the “salting of the earth” in the bible to make the land infertile? It’s not permanent but it does last for a while.

An quicker and easier way to kill weeds is simply to pour boiling water on them! When you make pasta, or something else that uses boiling water, instead of pouring it down the drain, take the pot outside and pour it on weeds. Since it’s only water, there are no chemicals involved at all and nothing will prevent new plants from growing there. This method is much better for veggie gardens, you don’t want to use salt there.

I am going to try this on weeds in a retaining wall. Then I am going to attack all the ivy in my yard. It was planted 15 years ago by a prior owner, and is taking over everything. I will let you know if it works.

I love this! I will surely be testing this weed killer idea out this week. I have some issues with weeds around sidewalk edges and the driveway. Although, I don’t need the “cone of shame” for that. Thanks for the article! I can’t wait to read the next one!

What if you have an entire pasture with noxious weeds on top, and healthy grasses below? Any ideas?

We literally have tens of thousands of a specific type of weed that is poisonous to our animals. We have hand pulled thousands, and can’t get a handle on it at all. Still, want to keep the area as organic as possible….

Also, we discovered last year, that store bought vinegar will not work for serious weed problems in our area…required a much more concentrated vinegar–21%–and actually that didn’t work on the weeds we were hoping to eliminate. I’m wondering if the dishsoap increases the effectiveness…will give this recipe a try today on some spot areas without much at risk near it….

Mary – contact your local agricultural office for suggestions. Consider boarding out your animals for a year to tackle the problem. Mow before it seeds, high enough to allow for good plants to seed and grow. Try a blowtorch on the weeds. Consider spraying for one year with something low toxicity as possible, so that you can move forward organically and without the risk of losing your animals.

Going to try weed killer! Love using vinegar baking soda, peroxide (peroxide is amazing!) Kids ever have “boo-boo?” little one cut finger, little blood on shirt?
No rub, just pour that stuff on blood stain disappears!
Hope everyone has poured ” Ani-Bacterial hand soap” down the drain? HEY,
It’s harmful to humans, can cause all kinds of problems, hormone damage, &
Much more I’m sure. Since it contains a PESTICIDE, the FDA wants all of
Them out of stores by end of this year. Triclosin? If I remember correctly.
Don’t buy ANI-BACTERIAL hand soap. It’s killing more than germs. It’s just the hand soap. Can you believe how long we have exposed our little ones to this?
Pass the word around, it’s horrible to continue to sell the stuff till 2015.
Maybe we should try the stuff on our weeds.

I love the dog collar idea. I have use this mix to kill weeks. When treating cracks I use a 38 oz squeeze ketchup bottle. I can direct the solution into the cracks and at Virginia creeper roots with having to get too close. Thank you sharing.